5 Things to Include in your 2017 Budget

[Lsbcal]

...
Personally, I would wait until there are better standards for both security and compatibility before spending, what is for me, a significant amount of money.

... and a significant amount of early adapter frustration.

 

[Souschef]

Travel-we stopped going on group trips and do things on our own. Right now we have a cruise booked for January and Hawaii (big island) for our anniversary.
Pets-we occasionally pet sit for 2 neighbors, We love both dogs, but doing it all the time would be a chore for us. We get plenty of dog fixes here
Education- I have a BS and MS in Engineering and an MBA. I do taxes for low income people through the IRS/AARP program. That involves learning the latest tax software and regulations
High Tech homes- we just got a BOSE sound bar to replace the 30 year old Samsung surround sound system
Fitness- I walk a lot, and have lost some weight, but that is about it. I just passed my pilot's physical so I am goo there for another 2 years.

 

[GoodWishes]

Travel - Big budget. We will take some trips ourselves and take some family trips which we usually pay for.

Pets - Too much responsibility. We were so happy when we became empty nesters. We are free

Education - Taking a couple classes (i.e. tennis, Spanish) from the community center. Improving my skills and enjoying the socialization. Minimal cost.

High Tech Home - No way.

Fitness - Hiking, playing tennis, doing yoga. Minimal cost.

 

[Gumby]

High Tech Home - no thank you. Low tech is generally more robust and easier/cheaper to fix when it does break.

 

[ElizabethT]

I thought that number 4 was completely out of place. Huh? What does home technology have to do with the price of tea in China? So I did a bit of research on the author. I clicked on Sara Singleton, and the link pointed to safewise dot com, a company selling home technology systems

My immediate thought as well in that it seemed ridiculously out of place.

So setting that one aside, here is my list:

Travel: Yep, lots.
Pets: Not at this time, and not likely in the future given the time amount of travel we do. Love them though!
Education: We actually place a lot of value on this one, with our Lifelong Learning program, streaming membership of The Great Courses, and my tutoring lessons with a Spanish instructor all ongoing endeavors. Really enjoy expanding our minds in this way.
Fitness: We've had our gym membership forever it feels like, and it's so ingrained in our lifestyle that not having it would feel incredibly odd. We'll be adding fees for yoga classes in 2017, something I'm much looking forward to.

 

[target2019]

1. Travel. Still working, we'll take several 4-5 day trips in 2017. Then talk about long trips we need in 2018.

2. Pets. Just took care of kid's 2-3 yr old poodle mix. Great dog, we enjoyed the week, but back to reality. We like pets, so will hold off until we can give one a lot of attention.

3. Education. I get paid for education at work. BA and MS is enough for me. I spend a lot of time looking at technical details, and just want to have fun at home on my time. When PhD comes to Netflix, maybe...

4. Hi Tech Home. We made a substantial investment in 2 HVAC systems in 2016. Has the mobile app and other features that save money. Going much further with hi-tech may cause additional problems. Will think about it some more.

5. Fitness. Have fitbits, will travel. I need to be pushed more, and weekly report does that. Need to lose 5-10 lbs.

 

[athena53]

Travel - Heck, yes. As long as I'm mobile (a couple more decades, I hope) and have two dimes to rub together.

Pets - Never had them, never will. They interfere with travel and I don't want to be paying for doggie/kitty cataract surgery, dialysis, treatment for Addison's Disease (I read that on on another board), etc.

Education - I may take another college class, but I'm happy with daily news podcasts in French and German, various BBC podcasts, and trips to the public library.

High Tech Home - very slow on this. I love my thermostat that's controllable from my smartphone. Got a Roku box and Netflix subscription a few months ago and love it. Will probably upgrade as I replace things but I'm not in a rush.

Fitness - Always. Just upgraded my Planet Fitness membership to $20/month so I can use the one near DS and his family and DS can get a free guest pass when they visit us. Registration fees for charity bike rides can get expensive (I refuse to hit people up for contributions so I pay my own way for the 35-mile MS ride) but I enjoy them.

 

[MichaelB]

This year, consider investing in home automation features that allow you to remotely control everything from your thermostat, sprinklers, and lights to your coffee maker and blinds. Investing in tech saves you time, keeps you organized, and can even help you save money.

There is absolutely no way investing in home automation, as described, saves time or money. We are still early in the "bleeding edge" phase of home automation, so, if anything, the technology is still iffy, the projects consume vast amounts of time and are subject to rapid obsolescence.

Not saying folks should not make the effort. In fact, for ER types with lots of time (and cash) on their hands, this could be entertaining. Just make sure expectations are reasonably low.

 

[athena53]

There is absolutely no way investing in home automation, as described, saves time or money. We are still early in the "bleeding edge" phase of home automation, so, if anything, the technology is still iffy, the projects consume vast amounts of time and are subject to rapid obsolescence.

Not saying folks should not make the effort. In fact, for ER types with lots of time (and cash) on their hands, this could be entertaining. Just make sure expectations are reasonably low.

I agree. My cynical reaction to most tech enhancements is "Oh, goody- more things that can go wrong". I need only look at the extent that my car is being controlled by a computer. Mine, thank heaven, runs well but it seemed that most of the issues people had on "Car Talk" were due to the computer doing something wrong and not something your average car owner could tweak.

The thermostat was a freebie from the electric company, in return for an agreement that they could cycle our A/C on and off during periods of peak demand. Through two summers I've never noticed the house being uncomfortably warm. It was professionally installed and has worked well, but I probably would not have tried it on my own.

 

[Moemg]

Travel , Yes but we are really starting to slow down in that aspect
Pets No ,thanks
Education Yes , if I see a course that interests me especially cooking
Hi Tech Home No
Fitness Yes, I need the motivation of a gym

 

[target2019]

There is absolutely no way investing in home automation, as described, saves time or money. We are still early in the "bleeding edge" phase of home automation, so, if anything, the technology is still iffy, the projects consume vast amounts of time and are subject to rapid obsolescence.

Not saying folks should not make the effort. In fact, for ER types with lots of time (and cash) on their hands, this could be entertaining. Just make sure expectations are reasonably low.

Also, each device needs a system admin. A few conflicting smart devices might make you dumber, not smarter.

 

[HillCountry]

Travel:
Biggest item in budget at 25%+, more than housing. 4 trips per year, spring break, early summer, late summer, winter break.

Pets:
More than 10% of time not at home, pets are not considered.

Education:
Kids only, me too old for this. Summer camps, musical lessons, sports. And most time we spend on.

High tech home:
Pretty high already

Fitness:
Daily for all family members. I got 25 minutes every work day.

 

[ERD50]

Other than fitness, I don't have any desire to spend money on these things. I have averaged about $1100/year on fitness so far in retirement. But, I pretty much expected that because I am constantly battling a pretty bad overweight problem so I can't just ignore fitness expenses (which include Weight Watchers, the gym, equipment for my home gym, various gizmos like my Fitbit and HRM, and so much more).

Travel - - really? You all know how much I dislike travel.

Pets - - I don't have a pet because I'm not ready for the responsibility. The vet bills are frightful. But the worst part is that they die before we do and break our hearts. I have a teddy bear instead.

Education - - Seriously? From pre-school on I spent 28 years in school. After all that I ended up with a B.A., B.S.E.E., M.S., Ph.D, A.B.D, and various certifications. All of these are in science/engineering areas. I can't seem to go through a day without looking for (and finding) new things to learn and I don't see the need any more formal education. The author/source of your quote (where is it from, by the way?) might be surprised to discover that I actually use the internet for more than browsing porn.

High Tech Home - - My home is fine as is, thank-you-very-much. In the unlikely event that I should see any upgrades that I would even casually like, I'll get right on it. But meanwhile, it is already pretty high tech in all of the ways that matter to me.

Really, the expense that I have had to add to my retirement budget is dental work, which seems to be much more expensive now than it was when I was younger. I love my dental implants but they weren't cheap.

Agreed, this list is very much an individual thing. And I'm pretty much aligned with W2R on this one.

Heck, I have a high tech thermostat now (it was required for the advanced energy efficiency features, otherwise I'd stick with the old dial Honeywell), and I can adjust it from my phone - but I've never had the need/desire to do that. I turn the heat down (AC up) when I leave, and I can adjust it when I get home. It doesn't take that long to get comfy.

-ERD50

 

[athena53]

I turn the heat down (AC up) when I leave, and I can adjust it when I get home. It doesn't take that long to get comfy.

I really like it for longer trips. I'm heading out on the road next week and will turn the heat down to 60 degrees. A few hours before I get home (likely just before New Year's) I'll set it back up. I can keep the house at a lower temperature even though it will take a long time to warm up since I'm able to get the warmup started before I get home.

 

[ERD50]

I really like it for longer trips. I'm heading out on the road next week and will turn the heat down to 60 degrees. A few hours before I get home (likely just before New Year's) I'll set it back up. I can keep the house at a lower temperature even though it will take a long time to warm up since I'm able to get the warmup started before I get home.

Like I said, it's an individual thing. If you appreciate it, then it's clearly right for you. But the 'individuality' is why lists like this strike me as rather meaningless. Maybe useful if they trigger something you weren't thinking of, I guess, but that's about all. IMO.

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

...I enjoy travel, but I don't enjoy the high cost

Who does? The high cost that is.

Some people do not like some activities, even if they were free. For me, that would be watching spectator sports. You would have to pay me big money to watch it on TV, let alone getting me to go to a stadium filled with tens of thousand of cheering people. That's torture.

So, I fully understand if someone does not like to travel. It entails some work and often quite a bit of inconveniences. And it is indeed expensive, even if one economizes. So, no need to do it if one does not get anything out of it.

 

[Music Lover]

So, I fully understand if someone does not like to travel. It entails some work and often quite a bit of inconveniences. And it is indeed expensive, even if one economizes. So, no need to do it if one does not get anything out of it.

Are there any retirements lists that don't include travel? I've lost track of how many people that have asked me how much I'll travel now that I have retired. I must have missed a meeting...is this a mandatory question? I told one person that I thought travel was boring and they looked at me like I had just loudly passed wind...

 

[Lsbcal]

We like you the way you are. Travel (cheap or expensive) or no travel.

 

[robnplunder]

The only one I agree with is Travel.

Many don't have pets. Education? I am retired and all my education comes free from internet. High Tech home? I want less tech to simplify my surrounding. Fitness? I work out 3 times a week at home which is free.

Instead, I should budget more money for entertainment and donation.

 

[38Chevy454]

Travel - Hope to do a lot more once fully retired. For now a relatively small portion of budget. Most travel is with RV, which is paid for. Just fuel, camping fees (if applicable), food and beer for expenses. Some occasional motorhome preventative maintenance and repair expenses.

Pets - Three large dogs, that probably get better health care than many lower income folks.

Education - None, what I want to learn I can read for free on internet or similar sources.

High Tech Home - No need, see item called Pets, that is my home security; supplemented by Smith & Wesson, Glock and Ruger. I live out in country a bit, so DSL is extent of what I can get for high tech. I don't need a wifi thermostat

Fitness - Walking or running outside is free.

 

[Walt34]

Travel - Not so much, we generally don't enjoy it. We like day trips in the car but that's about it.

Pets - No thank you. I grew up in a house full of pets and enjoyed them, but I don't want the work that goes with taking care of them.

Education - I'll take the occasional photography class but the rest of my ongoing learning is online or reading.

High Tech Home - I'm not gonna bother. Just more bells 'n whistles to break down and then I'd have to call some expensive guy to fix it 'cause I don't have a clue how it works.

Fitness - We do maintain a gym membership and go every other day, rarely skipping any days. Well, I rarely skip days, DW is a slacker sometimes if there is a schedule conflict with something else she wants to do.

 

[NW-Bound]

Are there any retirements lists that don't include travel? I've lost track of how many people that have asked me how much I'll travel now that I have retired. I must have missed a meeting...is this a mandatory question? I told one person that I thought travel was boring and they looked at me like I had just loudly passed wind...

Everybody in my and my wife's extended families loves to travel. My niece and her husband even took time off without pay, in order to have enough days off to do a bicycle trip in Europe, for 4 weeks I think.

You probably would not understand it the same way I do not see how people pay so much money to see a ball being chased around, or tossed in a basket.

 

[Lsbcal]

...
You probably would not understand it the same way I do not see how people pay so much money to see a ball being chased around, or tossed in a basket.

Come to think of it, some of those pro sports ticket holders often like to talk about how much they payed.

This season the 49er's QB cured me of any interest in watching "my team". Why should I care about very well paid dumb sports guys?

 

[lucky penny]

Education - I once read an article about a guy who retired to a place near a university where he could take courses as a senior, and for 20 years from age 60 into his 80s he took one course each semester and totally loved it. To me, that sounded like heaven; nothing more exciting than learning something new in a stimulating environment. Reading and using the internet are fine, but passive; learning with & from others one to one is important too, especially for someone who tends to be reclusive.

Pets - I've had 2 cats & one day may get another. Yes, I was sad when they died -- it surprised me how much -- but grief is the price you pay for love. Travel is an issue though.

Technology - Not much, & don't feel the need for it.

Travel - A major expense & worth every penny to me. I did some wonderful trips in connection with my first j*b & it whetted my appetite to see more of the world (& return to places I liked). I just pulled the trigger last week for a last minute trip to Rancho la Puerta, a resort/spa I've "always wanted" to go to. It sounds heavenly & I can afford it, so why keep putting it off?

Fitness - I do need this & isn't it the best investment? I do sporadic activity on my own, but I think a gym membership, sooner rather than later, would help get me into & stay with a good routine. And, inspired by comments from others on this forum, I need to keep reminding myself not to skimp on paying for high-quality, healthy food.

 

[HFWR]

Travel - Still have a handful of major trip to do, but also looking forward to some slow-go roadtrips. Not sure of the agenda for this year; maybe Yellowstone.

Pets: Nope! Love dogs, love cats, but, as we say about boats, better to have friends with pets...

Home tech: Not really interested. Have a programmable thermostat, and a couple of old X10 modules for dimming the torchieres in the living room.

Education: Being a naturally curious person, I learn new things regularly, but not interested at this juncture in signing up for classes. Schedules give me hives! [emoji12] Might someday take a photography class, but that's about it...

Fitness: Have been active most of my life, of late being weight training, walking, and bicycling. Plan to continue those, but need to work more on flexibility. Use the oil can too often...